The Truth Behind Seen on TV Products

Think you can believe that fantastic claims you hear in infomercials? The Good Housekeeping Research Institute reviewed some popular products seen on TV. Read on to find out the truth behind the most popular infomercial products instantly!

Ninja Kitchen System 1100

Ninja Kitchen System 1100

$159.80 Free S&H

The Pitch: "Create all of your favorite recipes with just one touch of a button!"

The Truth: We tested the Ninja for its ability to replace a blender, food processor, mixer, and juicer, and to make "creamy" ice cream. It crushed ice exceptionally well, ground coffee beans and chopped onions evenly, and made a consistently smooth, if grainy, smoothie and margarita. It kneaded pizza dough and beat cookie dough, though not as easily as a mixer would. It blended frozen fruit, ice, and cream, making a soft frozen mixture, but not ice cream. Also under par: Our attempt at salsa resulted in barely chopped onions and pulverized tomatoes, and we found juicing fruit made fruit puree instead of juice.

The Bottom Line: The Ninja Kitchen System 1100 is a good stand-in for a blender or mini-chopper. But for its price, you could buy one of each of those, plus a hand mixer.

Hot Booties

Hot Booties

$15 + $15.90 S&H (two pairs)

The Pitch: "Long-lasting, soothing heat to treat your feet!"

The Truth: These slippers, filled with natural linseed, claim to keep warm for up to an hour (after being placed in a "bootie bag" and microwaved for one minute). Testers noted that the footwear stayed toasty about 45 minutes. (FYI: As the instructions state, overheating could cause the booties' cover to ignite, and the booties should not be used by those with circulatory, lower-leg, or foot issues or certain other health problems.) The slippers offered warmth, but little foot relief; testers reported too-tight fit and discomfort while standing and moving. Some noted seed leakage.

The Bottom Line: Give these the slip. "Not enough of an advantage over regular slippers," said one tester.